"Former Sen. Jon Kyl has agreed to serve as the sherpa for the president's nominee to the Supreme Court,” White House spokesman Raj Shah said in a statement.

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Kyl has a wealth of experience in the Senate, which will be needed as the president’s nominee is expected to face an intense confirmation battle.

The Arizonan served in the upper chamber for three terms, from 1995 to 2013, and spent many years on the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hold confirmation hearings and then vote on whether to advance the nominee to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.

Kyl also has close ties to many of his colleagues from his time as the No. 2 Senate Republican leader.

After leaving Congress, Kyl went to work at the law firm Covington & Burling LLP.

Kyl lobbied on behalf of the conservative group Judicial Crisis Network last year during the confirmation battle for the president’s first Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch, according to federal disclosures. The group paid Covington more than $200,000 in a roughly two-month span.

Trump is set to announce his nominee during a prime-time television event at the White House at 9 p.m. Eastern.